ABSTRACT
The practice of prayer has been shown to predict various mental health outcomes, with different types of prayer accounting for different outcomes. Considering the numerous stressors facing seminary students, which have only intensified throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, prayer may be a common coping strategy for students who study theology, spiritual growth, and leadership. The present study investigates the role that different types of prayer may have in reducing anxiety, depression, and work burnout among seminary students. Experiential avoidance is proposed as a mediator such that specific types of prayer contribute to greater spiritual and characterological formation through staying engaged in the midst of struggle. Longitudinal data was collected from 564 graduate seminary students from 17 institutions accredited by the Association of Theological Schools. Based on previous research, we hypothesized that experiential avoidance would mediate the relationship between colloquial, liturgical, meditative, and petitionary prayer types and the negative mental health outcomes of anxiety, depression, and work burnout. Results confirmed significant negative relationships between colloquial, liturgical, and meditative prayer types and all three mental health indicators, fully mediated by experiential avoidance. Petitionary prayer was not significantly related to lower levels of mental health. These results indicate that engaging in certain prayer practices may be a protective factor by facilitating experiential engagement.
ABSTRACT
[...]this paper explores how recent advancements in research on positive psychology and the psychology of religion and spirituality provide a fertile context for faith communities and scientific communities to collaborate together towards the shared vision of community renewal-a vision of community renewal that is grounded in Christian character and formation as well as empirical science. Even Christ Himself is intimately familiar with what it is like to occupy a liminal space (c.f. Matt. 26:36-46). [...]from the standpoint of our Christian faith, this is a familiar space for Christians to occupy because our present existence as the children of God here on earth similarly leads us into this familiar tension between the past and the future. [...]this special issue of the Journal of Psychology and Christianity edited by James Sells and Mark Newmeyer can be understood a special issue on liminality-as it applies to the entire field of Christian mental health. [...]from the many esteemed colleagues who have not only contributed to this special issue, but also made significant and unique contributions to our field, we receive different glimpses, different perspectives on how we might understand and hold this tension between the "what was" in Christian mental health and the "next." [...]reading these works personally earlier in life (e.g., Eric Johnson and Stanton Jones' (2000) Psychology & Christianity: Four Views) provided me with rich foundational knowledge that was pivotal in shaping my own journey into this field.
ABSTRACT
Critically ill patients with the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are dying in isolation without the comfort of their family or other social support in unprecedented numbers. Recently, healthcare teams at COVID-19 epicenters have been inundated with critically ill patients. Patients isolated for COVID-19 have had no contact with their family or loved ones and may have likely experienced death without closure. This situation highlights concerns about patients' psychological and spiritual well-being with COVID-19 and their families, as they permanently part ways. While palliative care has advanced to adequately address these patients' needs, the COVID-19 pandemic presents several barriers that force healthcare teams to deprioritize these essential aspects of patient care. The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 gave us a glimpse of these challenges as these patients were also isolated in hospitals. Here, we discuss the importance of the biopsychosocial spiritual model in end-of-life care and its implications on patients dying with COVID-19. Furthermore, we outline an integrative approach to address the unique and holistic needs of critically ill patients dying with COVID-19. These include intentional and increased coordination with trained palliative care staff, early and frequent goals of care including discussion of end-of-life plans, broader use of technology to improve connectedness, and shared decision making with patients' families.